A museum featuring archeological and cultural items from Yuan Zhongdu, one of the capitals of the Yuan Dynasty (1271 - 1368 AD), opened to visitors Saturday in north China's Hebei Province.

Zhongdu - meaning "middle capital" - was established as one of the three Yuan Dynasty capitals in 1308. The other two were Shangdu and Dadu.

Rebelling farmers burnt the palaces to the ground in an uprising in 1358.

Covering an area of 4.6 hectares, the museum, about 265 kilometers northwest of Beijing, displays more than 500 cultural relics. It also has on display replicas of ancient buildings.

(Xinhua News Agency December 12, 2010)